The Picture Viewer_______________________

I see you're still with us. Good.
We're about to look in on an encounter that takes place 
when Will Parker, who is a ranch hand like Curly,
returns by train from a trip to Kansas City.

It seems that Will,
who isn't quite as handsome or smart as Curly,
has purchased a picture viewer while on the trip,
called the Little Wonder, which displays risqué
(although not explicit) erotic photographs.

As he disembarks, Aunt Eller and his friends
greet him at the train station.
When Aunt Elller then looks into that picture viewer,
she is shocked to see what is at the other end.
Will's friends shrink away in shame
as she looks at it in apparent horror.

But it turns out that Aunt Eller's shock
is entirely good natured. She thinks it's a hoot,
and the men around her lighten up.

We, the audience, lighten up, as well,
as we realize that Will isn't in trouble.
More to the point, we learn something
that is essential to the movie, 
which is that there are no censorious authority figures,
here, come to ruin this innocent world.

Once the incident with the picture viewer
is behind him, Will proceeds to hold Aunt Eller 
and some of his friends spellbound
as he forms his words into another kind of picture viewer
and sings about the modern wonders he encountered 
on his trip to the big city.

Since this is a time when modern technology is new, 
his description of automobiles, telephones and high-rises
makes Kansas City sound like 
a distant paradise to his delighted listeners.

He also describes the other side of modernization,
as he recounts his visit to a burlesque show 
where women dance erotically for men.

As with the picture viewer,
his song lets his audience lose itself in dreams.
The temptation that is aroused
is merely light entertainment
that goes along with thoughts of an ideal world.

But, now, as we will see, the dark side of the dream
is about to show itself 
and life is about to change.

________________________________________________________________

Curly is in love with	Aunt Eller's niece	Laurey		Will Parker returned from Kansas City